Not Your Mother's Love Stories

Everyone deserves a playlist

I can tell a wickedly good story. I know this, even if the writing might need some polishing (and please, someone get me a thesaurus for Christmas). But even with my giant ego, I need inspiration. With NaNo right around the corner, my stomach is in knots, the butterflies are going full force, and I’m anxious, giddy, and above all, extremely excited to get started on my NaNo project, Iron Jewel (the BF, despite his mocking derision of all things having to do with paranormal romance, thought of the title).

Of course, the stomach thing could be related to the Tylenol Cold medicine I’ve been taking. While extremely effective, it’s making me nauseous.

To ratchet up the ambiance, though, I need a playlist. Something that’s representative of Remy’s world, her really dark, depressing, and fucked up world.

“Vanguardian” Steed Lord – I love Sonya Tayeh. It’s thanks to her that I discovered this song in the first place. Steed Lord, an electronica outfit from Iceland, produced this driving, dark, slinky tune. It’s a perfect way to start a playlist.

“Super Bon Bon” Soul Coughing (Portishead Remix) – Most people have heard the Propellerheads remix of “Super Bon Bon”. Yes, this one is different. It sounds like Portishead, and it doesn’t sound like Portishead. Back in the days when Napster was haunting college campuses, this version was floating around my dorm. Featuring a dischordant crash of organ keys, over and over again, it takes the groove-tastic song to a new level.

“Laid” James – I just really like this song, so I put it on the playlist. It’s also a fabulous karaoke song. It feels…jubilant. Wild, free, and jubilant. Giddy, even. Yes, definitely giddy.

“Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten” Arvo Part – I’m not normally a fan of classical music. I do, however, love dance. Part’s compositions are modern enough to appeal to me, and this particular piece was used for Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven, where the two dancers are suspended above the stage and swing back and forth in time with the bell. A true aerial ballet, the sound is haunting, underscored by the rhythmic clang of the church bell in the background.

“Libertango” Astor Piazolla (performed by Yo-Yo Ma) – Keeping with the dancing, this song will make you think you can dance an Argentine tango. The rich notes of Ma’s cello drive the song, and every time I hear it, it reminds me of the trip I took to Buenos Aires. I fully intend to have Remy dancing a tango. Dancing is, after all, one of the best forms of foreplay 🙂

“Simple Softly” Tulsi – You’ve heard of Tulsi, right? No? Shame. A crying shame. One of the better MCs to come out of Seattle in the last decade, he’s also one of the most underappreciated. “Simple Softly” relies as much on its samples as it does its rhymes, which is the reason I like Tulsi so much. His rhymes twist and flow along with the beats he chooses, leaving you with some memorable tracks. “Simple Softly” can be found on his sophomore disc, Waterflow.

“The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot” Brand New – Brand New is a little too emo for Remy to listen to, but the lyrics of this song, off of Deja Entendu, get me every time. Any woman with a stupidly mushy heart would love it if someone told her that “You are the smell before rain/You are the blood in my veins.” (Or maybe that’s just me and my love for Jesse Lacey.)

“Float” Flogging Molly – The title track from Flogging Molly’s 2008 effort, “Float” is a rather depressing song. The lyrics are all about doing what you can with the situation you’re stuck with. Flogging Molly put a different twist on punk, bringing in traditional fiddle sounds and *gasp* an accordion!